How to Move Forward
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
We have been talking lately about being prepared by peace and embarking on a new beginning. All of this is leading us into moving forward which requires a certain mindset. This morning we will be looking at Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi to see what our mentality needs to look like in order to move forward as a believer and as a church. Let’s read our passage this morning and dive in:
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
Body:
If we are to move forward, the first mindset that should be:
I. I’m not perfect
I. I’m not perfect
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
There was no perfectionism in Paul. He had all the right to brag about what he accomplished in the past (see 3:1-11) but he didn’t.
1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.
2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—
4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee;
6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.
7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.
8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,
11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.
He knew he hadn’t arrived. How many times do we think we have accomplished so many things for God and that we have arrived?
I’ve been a Christian for sooooo long;
I memorized all these verses;
I help out at all the church events;
I attend church every time the door is open;
I’ve talked to 100 people about God;
I have led a lot of people to Christ;
No matter where I go, everyone knows I am a Christian, etc.
In all reality, we haven’t begun to attain and obtain everything God has for us!
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
“To take hold of” is like when a football player grabs another player not only to catch him but to pull him down and make him his own! Paul not only uses this language to describe what he is to lay hold of but also of how Christ laid hold of him!
Why did Jesus lay hold of Paul and is it the same for us too? Jesus laid hold of Paul to:
1. make him a new man (Rom 6:4);
4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
2. to conform him into the image of Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29);
29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
3. to make him a witness to experience Jesus and testify about that experience (Acts 9:15);
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
4. to make him an instrument in the conversion of others (Acts 9:15); and
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
5. to bring him into suffering (Acts 9:16); that Paul might attain to the resurrection of the dead/the heavenly hope (Phil 3:11).
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.
To take hold cf 1 Cor 9:24
24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.
Just as Jesus took hold of Paul, He wants to take hold of you as well to be a new person, to conform to the image of Christ, to be a witness, to be an instrument in the conversion of others and to suffer for the cause of Christ and to attain the heavenly hope!
Has Jesus taken hold of you? Are you taking hold of Him? Remember, to take hold of something is to not only chase after it but bring it down and make it your own!
Transition: Not only do we need to realize we are not perfect, we also need to make sure:
II. I’m Focused on the Present
II. I’m Focused on the Present
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Verse 13: “Do not yet consider” some translations say which means he is striving for that to happen eventually and he will keep striving for it until he has achieved his goal.
Verse 14:
Paul was focused on one thing and would not let those things that were behind him distract him from it. He pressed on for the prize.
God wants us to press on in the present; not in the past or the future!
But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
What is the prize? A trophy? A crown? To live a blessed life? NO! The prize is the call of Christ into a relationship with Him and the call to be able to run the race at all!
We are to continue to press on in the calling Christ has for us and take hold of Christ in our life.
We cannot press in on the call Christ has for us today if we are distracted and depressed by our past actions and decisions or held captive by the ”what if’s” of the future!
Live in the present of what God has for you!
Transition: So, our mindsets that we need to change are: we aren’t perfect, then we make sure our focus is on the present (calling God has for us). Next, we need to make sure:
III. I Will Think Differently
III. I Will Think Differently
15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
Therefore = because of what I just said (forgetting about what is behind and pressing on towards the prize)
Those who are mature in their faith will also have the same mindset. If they didn’t, Paul knew God would reveal the necessity of having that mindset.
God will reveal it to you cf Lk 10:21
21 At that time he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.
Do you remember growing up and being told to do or not to do something and you didn’t understand why? Then, after growing up/maturing, you realize the reasons behind why you could or couldn’t do certain things. Your maturity helped reveal to you what you didn’t understand before.
God works the same way! As we grow in our relationship with Christ, God reveals more to us through His Word and His Holy Spirit and we gain more understanding in regards to what He is telling us and wanting us to do.
Transition: We have talked about not being perfect, being focused on the present calling God has for you and changing our thinking, finally we need to:
IV. I Will Do What God Wants Me to Do
IV. I Will Do What God Wants Me to Do
16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
Paul would not allow the lack of understanding to excuse anyone from doing what he did know to be the Lord’s will.
(“I know God wants me to do _______, but I don’t understand why He wants me to do ___________. So, I won’t do it until I understand the reason behind it.”)
What we don’t know can never excuse us from failing to fulfill what we do know to do!
Paul encouraged them to be of the same mind. The Philippians had problems with unity but not like the Corinthian church did. The Corinthian church had unity problems due to carnality but the Philippians church has unity problems brought about because of pressure both from the outside (1:27-30) and the inside (3:2).
27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.
Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Instead of the pressure driving them apart, Paul wanted the pressure to push them together and be united in pressing forward!
There is pressure on a believer to make sure s/he is doing what they need to do for God and not to allow others (outside pressure) or even their personal desires (inside pressure) to lead them. The church has the same pressure as far as making sure she is being led by God and not by what the other churches are doing (outside pressure) or by the personal preferences from members of the church (inside pressure).
It is so important for believers to be on the same mindset as they work together to move forward and this is where it begins.
Conclusion:
Where is your mindset this morning?
1. I’m not perfect (even though I may have done many things for God in the past)
2. I’ll focus on the present; not the past
3. I’ll think differently (ask God to help you focus more on Him and the calling) and
4. I will do what God wants me to do (even when I don’t understand)
Conclusion cont.
How is Living Redeemer AG going to move forward? Are we wanting to move forward? Are we all-in?
What is the DNA of Living Redeemer AG? What are we going to focus on as a church? What are going to be our non-negotiables?
Being a Bible-believing and Bible preaching church
Being an accurate representation of Jesus Christ no matter where we are and who we are with
Reaching our community for Christ by loving them as Christ loved us first
What is one or two needs we can meet in our community that no other church is addressing?
First:
Second: